"I mean, I come out of the mountains of New Mexico," he explained Monday. "There's no cell service. So, I'm oblivious to what's going on in the world. I have peace for eight days. And then I walk out and I'm bombarded..."

Hoge, who lives in Northern Kentucky, knows his former team stayed in the locker room Sunday -- with one exception, Alejandro Villanueva, until after the anthem was played.

"I'd have went out with Villanueva," he told us when asked what he would've done were he still playing football. "Put my hand over my heart, give thanks for those people who fought for this country."

The country seems riven right now over the flag issue, torn over the question of whether players should take a knee or take a stand.

The president himself is verbally jousting with the NFL about what should happen.

Jack Brennan, who used to handle media relations for the Bengals, supports Kaepernick-style protest, which he deems dignified.

"I think that side has won the day over this past weekend," Brennan said.

He has just penned an online CityBeat column questioning why the anthem precedes every game in the first place.

"It's just not special and I don't think it honors the anthem to be played so often," he said, suggesting it be reserved for special games like the Super Bowl.

The Bengals locked arms in solidarity on Sunday, the meaning of that was open to interpretation today.

The front office statement spoke of an uneasy mix between football and politics.

The cauldron swirled.

"I'm not happy with the Bengals," declared Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones. "Locking arms, that's a protest against the American flag."

He believes the divide will deepen as more fans get fed up.

"Shame on them for taking a knee. I'm never going to watch another football game. I'll never watch it on TV. I'm not going to go to the football game. My phone's run off the hook. People are angry," stated Jones.

Next weekend, the Bengals play in Cleveland where many of the Browns have joined in protest.

"I'd fire 'em," said Jones. "Period. I'd do exactly like the president said. They need to fire 'em."

Where the anger about it could lead is certainly a topic in every front office and locker room this week.

Many wonder if more of the college and high school ranks would be caught up in the growing controversy in the weeks ahead.